The Scots have a distinct and rich culture separate from their southern English and Welsh neighbours. Contrary to popular belief, they are not all redheads in kilts with a penchant for haggis and bagpipe music. Celtic culture survives in the Highlands and Islands, while Norse traditions play out today in Orkney, Shetland, and the north. This section explores the diversity of cultural resources available to enrich your roleplay.

Landscape

From Pictish standing stones to Edinburgh's castles, the lonely western isles to bustling Glasgow docks, Scotland's landscape has been immortalized in song and photography. The long-settled country is home to battlefields and the world's largest stone circle, and its steep hills and rolling fields make a romantic landscape.

The great majority of the Scottish speak a form of English called Scots-English with its own catch phrases, slang, and variations on words. They also use the common British aphorisms and metaphors that might not be well known across the pond.

Art, entertainment, and sport play important roles in Scottish life. Edinburgh hosts some of the largest festivals in the world, and the calendar is regularly filled with famous acts, celebrations, and sporting events.

Scotland boasts many proud traditions stretching back generations, though many "ancient" traditions hail from the 18th and 19th century. No less a person than Sir Walter Scott created much of the romanticism singlehandedly before a royal tour in 1822, due in no small part to his desire to impress.